Improvement in baggage-checks



JOHN H. McALvlN.

Baggage-Check.

N0. 126,559. A Patented MaI 7,1872.

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PATENT OEEIcE.

JOHN E. McALvIN, or cEDAE EArIDs, IowA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BAGGAGE-CHECKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 126,559, dated May 7,1872.

To all twhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. MCALVIN, of Cedar Rapids, in the county ofLinn and State of Iowa, ha-ve invented a new and useful Improvement inBaggage-Checks, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists in forming a baggagecheck of two disks, soarranged and secured within a case and upon different centers that theycan be revolved by the proper key only; each disk being provided with asuitable number of numerals on their faces near their periphery, and aslot in the case allowing only one numeral on each disk to show at thesame time. The two disks may be revolved by a proper key only to form anumber of combinations of numerals to indicate stations and therebychange the check to indicate different stations, thus avoiding the largenumber of checks now in use, which cannot be changed.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents an elevation of myimproved baggagecheck. Fig. 2 represents an inside view of the backofthe case of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 represent the two disks of thesame detached. Fig. 5 represents a vertical central section in line a'.fr of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 represents the key used with my improvedbaggage-check; and

' Fig. 7, the several parts detached.

The body of my improved baggage-check consists of the back a, whichforms the case to contain the operative parts, by means of a llange, b,in which flange a certain portion is exsected, as shown at c, to receivethe lug d of the circular face-plate e, which plate fits snugly withinthe flange of the case, to which it may be secured by soldering or anyother suitable means. This face-plate e is provided with a centralcircular key-hole, f, between which' and the lower periphery of thefaceplate a circular portion, g, is raised outwardly parallel with theface-plate, which forms a corresponding depression, in which a disk, h,has its bearing. A slot, extending across' the lower periphery of theraised portion g and a certain distance in the face-plate e, allowscertain portions of the peripheries of the smaller disk h and of thelarger disk j to be seen. The disk h is divided on the periphery of itsface into eleven radial spaces, containing the numbers Irom 1 to 0, andleaving one space blank; while the disk i is divided into 50 radialspaces, and has the numbers from 1 to 50 placed on its periphery withouta blank space. In the periphery ofthe dirk j, one at each of the lineswhich divide it into fifty spaces, are formed angular notches, intowhich the small angular projection k on the dat spring l seizes, whichspring is attached with one end to the flange b, as shown at m, whileits other end is free to move on said flange b, so as to allow thespring to bend toward the flange when the disk 7' is placed into thecase c. The case c has a central square stud, n, which revolves freelyin the case, and which passes through a corresponding square centralopening, o, in the disk j, from which opening extend, at opposite sides,small slots p. The disk h. has a cut-out lip, q, raised to act as aspring against the inside of the raised portion g ofthe face-plate,which lip is provided with a central slot, 1, which lies under thecentral circular opening s of the portion g, and it is, at its freeend,provided with a pin, t, which is arranged to seize into one ofeleven holes, t', formed in the portion g around the central opening s,and corresponding with the eleven spaces on disk h when the parts are inoperative position. The key, shown in Fig. 6, is provided with a centralsquare opening, u, which lits over the stud n, and with two shortprojections, c, which lit into the side slots p in disk j on the slot rof the lip q. When the parts are all in proper position the disk j isheld in place and prevented from revolving by means of the spring l, andthe disk h by means of the pin t on its lip q, which is held in one ofthe eleven holes t in the raised portion g. When the parts are thusheld, either one, two, or three numbers appear through the slot i,according to whether the blank space or one of the numbered spaces onthe disk h, and a single or double-numbered space of the disk j areunder the slot. It' it is desired to form a certain combination toappear through the slot, from the ve hundred and nine combinationspossible in this example shown, the key is rst placed over the stud a ofthe disk j, its projections o fitting into the slots p, and the diskrevolved until the rst or first two numbers of the desired combinationappear under the slot, the Yprojection k of the spring l sliding overthe periphery of the disk, and holding it in position by seizing intothe proper notch when the desired number has been brought under theslot. The key is then inserted into the central opening of the raisedportion g, its projections v seizing into the slot r of lip q, and, bydepressing the lip q, the pin tis released from the hole t in which itwas held, thereby allowing the disk h to be revolved until the desirednumber or the blank space appears under the slot, when, by merelywithdrawing the key, the lip is again allowed to press outwardly untilits pin t is again held in one ofthe holes t. The face-plate e isprovided with a lug, d, in which a slot, y, is formed for the attachmentof the usual check-strap. The number of the station to which the checkbelongs may be permanently.engraved upon the face-plate, and it is thenready to be used for any ofthe live hundred and nine stations of theroad by changing the combinations. The disks h and j may be, of course,provided with a larger or smaller number of numerals to suit the numberof stations of a railroad.

Having thus described my invention, l claim- 1. A baggagecheck, havingcombinationnumber disks h and j, constructed and arranged to be held incertain positions, and changed by means of a key, essentially asdescribed.

2. The smaller interior disk h, having a springcut-out portion q, and aslot r and pin t, in combinationwith theraised portion gofthefaceplatee, provided with openings t for the pin t, operating esseniially asdescribed.

Witnesses: JOHN H. MCALVIN.

FRED. I. BILLINGs, HENRY V. FERGUSON.

